Sacramento Developer Collective

Progressive Game Jam - Educational Edition (PGJ ED), @LAB 7 - Winter
2024-03-16 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-03-23 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-03-30 13:00 - 15:00, 2024-04-06 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Lab 7, 2417 21st Street, Sacramento, CA, United States
Registrations are now open for our inaugural Progressive Game Jam – Educational Edition (PGJ ED) program.

PGJ ED is a ten week educational program designed for our area’s youth (ages 12 – 18) where they will learn to make video games by making an actual game. Modeled after our successful Progressive Game Jam program, which has been running for ten years now, PGJ ED will take participants through a full development lifecycle to make a full game. The program uses video game development to teach participants STEAM-based skills. The program is funded by a generous Measure U grant from the City of Sacramento and is free for all participants.

Our first class starts Saturday, February 3rd at 1:00pm at Lab 7 Coworking. Participants will attend class weekly for ten weeks (with a 3 week holiday break.) Each class is 2 hours long for a total of 20 hours of instructional material. The initial class schedule is as follows, and all participants should plan on attending all classes to get the most out of the program. The program is open to residents of Sacramento ages 12-18. Classes are limited to 20 participants, first-come, first-served.

Sat., Feb. 3rd; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Feb. 10th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Feb. 17th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Feb. 24th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Mar. 2nd; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Mar. 9th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Mar. 16th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Mar. 23rd; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Mar. 30th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Sat., Apr. 6th; 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Lab 7 Coworking is at 2417 21st St., Sacramento, CA 95818.

Participants must register for the class. The online registration form can be found on the PGJ ED website at https://www.progressivegamejam.com/pgj-ed/

PGJ ED is brought to you by Sacramento Developer Collective and Square Root Academy with funding by the City of Sacramento Measure U Grant.

Capital Creative Showcase 2024
2024-04-20 11:00 - 17:00 | West Sacramento Community Center, 1075 W Capitol Ave, West Sacramento, CA, 95691, United States
Brought to you by the Sacramento Developer Collective, Capital Creative Showcase features the Sacramento valley’s video game developers and creative talents. It all starts at 11:00am on Saturday, April 20th at the West Sacramento Community Center.
CCS 2024 is the 6th annual CCS and SDC’s 10th annual exhibition event. Help us celebrate the anniversary by joining us for a Festival of Games.
See the many talents from several of our region’s schools in the 2nd annual Student Showcase including the graduates of our inaugural PGJ ED program, along with the participants of the 10th Progressive Game Jam and the latest games from game developers across the region.
General admission is $15 online, $20 at the door on the day of the event. Kids 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Developers can register online.
For more information, please visit: https://www.capitalcreativeshowcase.com

May the Fourth Esports Event
2024-05-04 11:00 - 18:00 | Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA, 95670, United States
May the Fourth: A Scholastic Gaming and Esports Expo
Join us for the inaugural Scholastic Video Game and Esports Expo. Hosted by College Esports and powered by the City of Rancho Cordova.
Prepare for an electrifying extravaganza of fun and thrills! Immerse yourself in a themed day bursting with excitement and entertainment as we welcome special guest appearances and showcase the dynamic world of scholastic esports, innovative game developers, and local gaming community leaders. Engage in heart-pounding tabletop and video game tournaments, ignite your imagination in captivating cosplay workshops, and be awed by the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony heralding a new era of gaming excellence. Plus, seize the opportunity to claim incredible prizes and awards that will leave you on the edge of your seat!
The first 60 children / youth will receive a free lightsaber to celebrate National Star Wars Day in style.
Doors open at 11:00 AM. Save time and skip the line. Pre-register now.
Prizes & Giveaways.
Sci-fi-themed cosplayers receive an extra door prize entry and prizes for best cosplay.

Capital Creative Showcase 2025
2025-06-14 11:00 - 17:00 | Elementor #31278
The Capital Creative Showcase is an annual celebration of the Sacramento region’s thriving gaming and creative industries. CCS brings together the best and brightest from local game development studios, indie creators, students, and enthusiasts for an exciting day of entertainment. At CCS, attendees can explore a variety of interactive exhibits, showcasing everything from cutting-edge video games and student projects to art and design from the region’s top creative talents. It’s an opportunity to playtest games, meet the developers behind them, and connect with a passionate community of creators and players. For those with a competitive streak, CCS hosts thrilling esports tournaments, complete with cash prizes, offering both casual and experienced players the chance to compete in front of a live audience. If you’re interested in attending, showing off a booth, or participating in the esports tournament, feel free to visit the website: https://www.capitalcreativeshowcase.com/

SDC Town Hall and Fundraiser
2025-09-20 14:00 - 18:00 | Meeting Room in the Arcade Library, 2443 Marconi Ave, Sacramento, CA, 95821, United States
Town Hall at Arcade Library in Arden-Arcade! We’ll be taking input from the community regarding the future of SDC as well as sharing our own plans for our future. Afterwards, get a meal from California Fish Grill only 5 minutes aways to support us and their business as well! Use the promo code of “fund2025” and 25% of your meal’s price will be donated back to Sacramento Developer Collective.

Progressive Game Jam - Season 12
2025-10-18 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-15 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-12-20 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-17 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-03-21 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-18 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-05-16 09:00 | Valhallan Esports Arena, 187 Blue Ravine Rd Ste 120, Folsom, 95630, United States
The Progressive Game Jam (PGJ) is back for its twelfth season — and we’re more excited than ever to help local developers build awesome games and connect with a thriving community of creators.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned dev, PGJ gives you the tools, time, and team to actually finish a game. Each month on the third Saturday, we’ll gather for structured, supportive in-person jam sessions where you’ll:
Set development goals and track your progress
Get feedback from other local developers
Learn from guest speakers and industry pros
Showcase your game at public events like CCS
PGJ Season 12 is your chance to bring your game to fruition — with the support of the Sacramento game dev community behind you. Returning games are welcome!

Playtesting Day
2025-10-25 11:30 - 15:30 | Galaxy Game Cafe, 7700 Sunrise Blvd Suite 1900, Citrus Heights, 95610, United States
Developers can set up at a table and have customers at the café play their game and provide feedback. It’s a great chance to get real-world testing and build community interest! Your game can be digital or analog, whether it’s an early prototype, a nearly finished build, or even a board/card game.
For players, this is your chance to try out games before anyone else! You’ll get to sit down with the developers, playtest their creations, and share your thoughts on what works and what could be even better.
If you’re interested in showcasing your game, sign up here: https://forms.gle/aVybWdTpgXzVRsE76
We’ll reach out to confirm availability and details. Spots may be limited, so grab yours early and be part of the fun!

Tabletop & Board Game Jam
2025-11-07 17:00 - 2025-11-09 21:00 | Galaxy Game Cafe, 7700 Sunrise Blvd Suite 1900, Citrus Heights, 95610, United States
What can you create in a weekend? Join SDC and Galaxy Games for a 3-day Game Jam where teams design, build, and showcase a brand-new tabletop or board game around a surprise theme.

Fri, Nov 7 | 5–9 PM – Kickoff + theme reveal
Sat, Nov 8 | 11 AM–9 PM – Design, create, playtest
Sun, Nov 9 | 11 AM–9 PM – Final push + presentations at 5 PM

Entry is $40 for all three days, with judges, prizes, and community showcases. Entry also includes access to our game play space with a library of 1200+ board and card games! Sign up here: https://stan.store/GalaxyGameCafe/p/tabletop-game-jam
Want to playtest instead of create?
Come Sunday at 5 PM to try the new games! Just $10 Game Space entry (free for GGC Members). No registration needed.

SDC Pitch Day
2026-02-28 11:00 - 15:00 | UC Davis, Cruess Hall, 1102 Cruess Hall, Davis, 95616, United States
Heading to GDC but feeling nervous about your pitch?Want to sharpen your presentation in a supportive, low-pressure environment before the big show?
SDC Pitch Day is your chance to:

Practice your pitch live in front of a friendly audience

Get real, constructive feedback from industry professionals

Improve your confidence, clarity, and stage presence

Connect with other developers, teams, and creators

Our last Pitch Day was a huge success—we even had developers receive job offers from people in attendance!
📍 Location: 1102 Cruess Hall, 375 California Street, Davis, CA 95616📝 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/MWLjmdYXEGrok6b7A
🎮 All games welcome! Digital games, tabletop games, solo devs, full teams—everyone is encouraged to participate. Each presenter will have a set amount of time to pitch, followed by a short Q&A and feedback session.
There are no funding deals or pressure—this event is purely about helping you level up your pitch, refine your message, and feel more confident heading into GDC.

GDC 2026
2026-03-09 08:00 - 2026-03-13 17:00 | Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA, 747 Howard St, San Francisco, 94103, United States
March 9–13 • Moscone Center • San Francisco, CA
We’re thrilled to announce that the Sacramento Developer Collective (SDC) is an official partner of the GDC Festival of Gaming 2026 — an expanded, city-wide celebration where game creators from around the world come together to learn, connect, collaborate, and shape the future of gaming.For over three decades, the Game Developers Conference has been the must-attend event for professionals across game design, programming, art, audio, business, production, and more — bringing thousands of developers, speakers, partners, and innovators under one roof.

This year’s GDC Festival of Gaming (March 9–13, 2026) continues that legacy with:

✔️ World-class sessions on craft and industry trends
✔️ Deep-dive workshops and roundtables
✔️ Curated networking events to expand your community

✔️ Lounges, curated matchmaking, and facilitated meetings
✔️ GDC Nights: celebrations, concerts, parties & awards galore

🎟 Special Discount for the SDC Community
As part of our partnership, we’re happy to offer our community an exclusive GDC discount!
👉 Use code: SDC10
💡 Applies to select GDC passes — enter the code during registration to save!
🔗 Official GDC Festival of Gaming site: https://gdconf.com/

🚀 Join Us in San Francisco
Whether you’re a seasoned pro, an indie creator, or just diving into game development, GDC is the place to:
• Sharpen your craft
• Build meaningful industry connections
• Showcase your work
• Discover what’s next in games

Capital Creative Showcase 2026
2026-05-09 11:00 - 17:00 | Jones Hall – @The Grounds, 700 Event Center Dr, Roseville, 95678, United States
The Capital Creative Showcase is coming back on Saturday, May 9th, 2026 — and this year we’re taking over Jones Hall at @the Grounds!
Capital Creative Showcase is Sacramento’s premier celebration of indie games, interactive media, and creative technology. Hosted annually by the Sacramento Developer Collective, CCS brings together local and regional game developers, students, artists, filmmakers, musicians, and creative technologists to showcase their work, connect with the community, and gain real exposure. After the biggest CCS yet in 2025, we’re leveling up once again. Expect more indie games, more student projects, more creative vendors, and more community than ever before. Whether you’re here to play, showcase, or connect, CCS 2026 is going to be our most exciting showcase yet.
Whether you’re a developer looking to showcase your game, a student taking your first steps into game development, or a fan eager to discover what’s next, CCS is built to uplift creators at every level.
Learn more, buy tickets, or apply to showcase at:Capital Creative Showcase: https://www.capitalcreativeshowcase.com

SDC Game Dev Hangout
2026-09-16 17:30 - 20:30 | Temple Coffee, 2200 K St, Sacramento, CA 95816, USA
Come hang out with the Sacramento Developer Collective for a casual meetup with other local game developers and creatives!
Bring your laptop, a project you’re working on, or just yourself. There are no presentations or structured activities, just a chance to work on your game, show off what you’ve been making, get feedback, meet other developers, and chat about games and game development.
Programmers, artists, designers, composers, writers, students, hobbyists, and anyone interested in game development are welcome. You don’t need to be working on a project to attend.
Grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and hang out with the Sacramento game dev community.

SDC Video Game Book Club — Dispatch
2026-09-17 19:00 - 20:30 | SDC Discord
Join the Sacramento Developer Collective for our next Video Game Book Club meeting! This month, we’re playing and discussing Dispatch.
Play as much of the game as you can beforehand, then join us to talk about your experience! We’ll discuss the story, characters, gameplay, design choices, what worked, what didn’t, and anything else that stood out to us.
The discussion will take place on the SDC Discord in the Video Game Book Club channel.
Date: September 17Time: 7:00 PMLocation: SDC Discord
Join the SDC Discord: https://discord.gg/ZJPvGZf
Whether you’re a developer, student, or just someone who enjoys talking about games, you’re welcome to join the discussion.

Progressive Game Jam
2026-09-19 09:00 - 11:45, 2026-10-17 09:00 - 11:45 | Valhallan Esports Training, 187 Blue Ravine Rd Ste 120, Folsom, CA 95630, USA
PGJ (Progressive Game Jam) is back for its 13th season! SDC is more excited than ever to support our local developers build awesome games and connect with a thriving community of creators.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned dev, PGJ gives you the tools, time, and team to actually finish a game. Each month, we’ll gather for structured, supportive in-person jam sessions where you’ll:

Set development goals and track your progress
Get feedback from other local developers
Learn from guest speakers and industry pros
Showcase your game for free at the Capital Creative Showcase, Sacramento’s biggest indie game showcase!

PGJ Season 13 is your chance to bring your game to fruition with the support of the Sacramento game dev community behind you.

SDC at CrockerCon
2026-09-20 10:00 - 17:00 | Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
Get your fandom fix at this ultimate pop culture takeover! Show off your best cosplay and meet and mingle with more than 60 exhibitors and comic book creators from California and beyond.
The Sacramento Developer Collective (SDC) will also be there, showcasing some of the highlights from Sacramento’s growing game development community. Stop by to check out games created by local developers, meet some of the people making them, and see what Sacramento’s game dev scene has been working on!
Explore activations across the Museum—from hands-on workshops with industry pros to artmaking experiences that connect comic creation with Crocker exhibitions. Gear up and bring your A-game for a day filled with next-level installations, local merch, cosplay battles, gaming face-offs, and massive LEGO zones to squad up in.
RSVP here: https://www.crockerart.org/events/4617/crockercon-a-free-family-festival-4617

Making Games in Sacramento: The State of the Industry & Our Local Indie Scene
2026-10-01 18:30 - 20:30 | Enlightenment Salon, 2221 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95818, USA
Join the Sacramento Developer Collective at the Enlightenment Salon for a conversation about the current state of the video game industry and Sacramento’s own game development community.
Two local game developers will share their experiences working in and around the industry, discussing the challenges developers face today, the opportunities available to independent creators, and what makes Sacramento’s game development scene unique. We’ll also look at some of the games and studios in the region and what the future could hold for the local community.
Whether you’re a professional developer, an aspiring creator, a student, an avid player, or simply curious about the people making games in Sacramento, this talk offers a look behind the scenes at an often-overlooked part of the region’s creative community.

SDC Video Game Book Club — Return of the Obra Dinn
2026-10-07 19:00 - 20:30 | SDC Discord
Join the Sacramento Developer Collective for our next Video Game Book Club meeting! This month, we’re playing and discussing Return of the Obra Dinn.
Play as much of the game as you can beforehand, then join us to talk about your experience! We’ll discuss the game’s mystery, deduction mechanics, storytelling, distinctive visual style, sound design, and the many clever ways it asks players to piece together what happened aboard the Obra Dinn.
The discussion will take place on the SDC Discord in the Video Game Book Club channel.
Join the SDC Discord: https://discord.gg/ZJPvGZf
Whether you’re a developer, student, or just someone who enjoys playing and talking about games, you’re welcome to join the discussion.

SDC Town Hall & Potluck
2026-10-11 11:00 - 16:00 | LogOff Brewing, 3054 Sunrise Blvd J, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742, USA
Join the Sacramento Developer Collective Town Hall and Potluck. Whether you’re a game developer, artist, writer, musician, programmer, or just passionate about games, this is your opportunity to help shape the future of SDC.
At the Town Hall, we will be:

Unveiling our event calendar for late 2026 and 2027
Sharing new initiatives, programs, and goals for the coming year
Discussing ways to better support indie devs and creative professionals
Taking live community feedback and ideas
Networking and enjoying lunch in a casual, social setting

Come hang out, grab a drink, enjoy some food, meet other developers, and hear what SDC has planned for the coming months!The Potluck will run all day, but the the Town Hall portion will start at 1:00 PM and should last around an hour. We encourage you to bring food if you’re interested!
Message SDC at info@sacdevcollective.org if you want to bring food for the potluck!

Playtesting Day
2026-10-23 17:30 - 20:30 | Galaxy Game Cafe, 7700 Sunrise Blvd Ste 1900, Citrus Heights, CA 95610, USA
Join us at Galaxy Games Café for a special Playtesting Day! This is where developers can set up at a table and share their games with the public! Café visitors will be able to sit down, try out your game, and give you valuable feedback in a relaxed, real-world environment.

This is a fantastic opportunity not only to playtest your game—whether it’s digital or analog—but also to build interest, connect with new players, and become part of a growing creative community. Developers get the chance to see firsthand how players interact with their work, while attendees get a sneak peek at upcoming indie games and prototypes.

If you’re interested in showcasing your game, sign up here: https://forms.gle/aVybWdTpgXzVRsE76.
We’ll follow up with you to confirm if youve been accepted and share all the details
